By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Considering they had a minimum seven games left at the time of their accomplishment, the W.S. Neal Lady Blue Eagles volleyball team obviously wants to do more than just tie its school record for wins in a season.
The Lady Blue Eagles matched the current record of seven wins in a campaign set by last year's team Thursday when it swept host Escambia County in straight sets 25-19, 25-19, 25-20.
The Lady Blue Eagles (7-5) needed five sets and a late rally in that fifth set to beat Escambia County Tuesday.
Erica Cardwell had a hot serving hand most of the match. Cardwell led the Lady Blue Eagles with 13 points and two aces in the first set and again in the second set with eight more points.
Cardwell had some help. Maggie Crutchfield contributed four points and two aces ins et one, while Katelin Hulley served up five points ins et two.
W.S. Neal was led by Jessica Fountain with eight points in set three, while Hulley had six.
It took five sets and a come-from-behind effort for the Lady Blue Eagles to beat Escambia County Tuesday at East Brewton 25-19, 21-25, 24-26, 25-18, 20-18.
Down two sets to one, W.S. Neal was able to stay alive in the fourth set thanks to the serving of Erica Cardwell and the serving and hitting by Maggie Crutchfield.
The Lady Blue Eagles led just 16-14 when Cardwell gave W.S. Neal some breathing room with a six-point service string. Earlier in the set Crutchfield helped give W.S. Neal a 9-2 lead with a seven-point, four-ace string. Crutchfield also had three kills in the set, two of which came on Cardwell's big run.
Despite the heroics of those two in set four, it nearly went for naught in the abbreviated and decisive fifth set. Twice Escambia County had five-point leads, the last of which was an 11-6 edge.
A defensive kill by Crutchfield and four more points by Cardwell gave W.S. Neal a 14-13 lead.
While the Lady Blue Eagles were unable to close out the set and match there, Escambia County was unable to close things out after it had leads of 16-15, 17-16 and 18-17.
A hitting violation by the Lady Blue Devils, an ace by Krystie Rolin and a kill by Crutchfield put W.S. Neal over the top.
W.S. Neal is home against Jay, Fla. Monday and Opp Tuesday. Play starts both days at 4 p.m. with the junior varsity match.